Analogies Open Doors to Their Learning
The use of analogies in learning is powerful. They give our learners tools they can identify with and use to help them process new information more easily.
I love Sayra’s analogy that I shared in my last blog post (Now You’re Telling Me I Have a Bunny in My Brain?) for two reasons: first, it’s an amazing analogy, so “kid friendly”, and second, I love rabbits!
I have raised rabbits and adored them, even when they ate many of the flowers in my garden!
Sayra’s analogy is so imaginative and clever and I am so pleased that she allows me to share it with my students. Her “tiny bunny in our brain” takes my kiddos into a whole new world in their imagination. They have a “new friend” supporting their learning that they can talk to, listen to, encourage and soothe.
I begin sharing the tiny bunny analogy by reading an old book I have about rabbits that shows crosscut drawings of rabbits’ burrows. We learn about how rabbits make their tunnels and how they know exactly where each tunnel leads.
We draw rabbits and their burrows and share the many things about rabbits we enjoy. Of course, I have many stories to share.
I have them draw their tiny bunny so it “comes alive” for them and we discuss what their bunny likes to do and likes to eat. We are personalizing their bunny, which helps them feel closer to it and strengthens their use of this analogy.
I sometimes pat my kiddos on the head pretending I’m petting their bunny while saying, “You are such a smart, wonderful bunny! You know exactly where to find the sound of this letter combination.”
I tell them to pat themselves on their head, too, imagining they are petting the bunny in their brain and talking to their bunny saying, “I love you! You are so smart! We work together to learn! We are SO good. We never give up on each other!”
I remind them how they can truly focus and how natural it is for their brains (their bunnies) to find commonalities and patterns, to draw conclusions, to sequence, to analyze, to synthesize and to evaluate.
We practice being truly focused and quiet while sensing how their teeny bunny feels relaxed and peaceful which makes it very easy for it to find commonalities and patterns and, therefore, the perfect place to store new information.
We draw their bunny digging a tunnel and nest for the new information and talk about how it knows exactly where it put the information.
Because many of my kiddos struggle with anxiety and low self-esteem, we practice realizing that when they feel anxious, it means their cute bunny is nervous and running around.
I encourage them to imagine petting, cuddling, loving and cheering on their teeny bunny to find the carrot, apple wedge, pellet, watermelon rind, letter sound or word without giving up.
I encourage them to teach their bunny that it knows exactly which tunnel to go to because it is making connections with their prior learning.
Then we practice helping the bunny know exactly which tunnel to go to so it will find stored information. I have them draw their bunny calm and confident as it moves down a tunnel and stores new learning or retrieves a letter sound or word.
My kiddos giggle with the thought of petting and encouraging their teeny tiny bunny. They begin to smile and relax, and THEY persevere!
As they become comfortable with the idea of a teeny tiny bunny digging tunnels and building nests to store information, I show them pictures of real brains on the Internet.
I teach them about the neurons in their brain. I teach them about how one neuron connects to another, which is similar to how their teeny tiny bunny’s tunnels connect. I teach them that when they learn something, their brain has made connections or pathways between neurons.
I tell them, “Each time you practice a skill, you’ll remember how to do it and you’ll be able to do it faster than you could before. You get better and better! Every time you practice, you strengthen your neuron connections.”
We talk again about the importance of truly focusing so they aren’t activating too many neurons at one time and confusing their own learning. We talk about the importance of being quiet, breathing deeply and knowing they are building connections and pathways between their neurons so remembering what they have just learned will be easy.
I tell them, “Be good to your brain! Challenge your brain! Love your brain! Pet that bunny!!”
Now over to you…
Please email or call (or send photos like below) to let me know how either or both analogies are working for your kiddos.
These bright smiles are telling the whole story.
Their mom sent photos of their work with the chest of drawer analogy and shared how using the analogy is helping them understand how their brain is categorizing. I so love their happy faces!
If you are questioning whether someone in your life is dyslexic and you’re not sure what to do, feel free to contact us.